For Having a Nail
by a-d Pilot
Summary: Ever since ninja learned how to summon, random junk has been pulled along for the ride. Sasuke's about to discover that his dad's old nightlight is much more than it seems. And it's still connected to the web.
1. Chapter 1

02/25/2013

a-d

**For Having a Nail...**

**Chapter One**

* * *

"No way."

Ten year old Sasuke stared at the glowing screen lighting his moon lit room. "Not possible."

Rubbing his eyes, he wondered if this was just a temporary lull in the nightmare that woke him up. After all, what kind of password is "one," repeated ten times?

It had to be the Dobe's fault. He's the only one who'd try to pull off something like this. He must have one these things too and figured out the password, then tried it on his and gotten lucky.

He snorted in amusement. Figures it would take someone like Naruto to get past something no other ninja ever had. "Probably did it by accident too." He muttered with a smirk. But couldn't hold it. Not in front of what was now on the screen.

**NARUTO Manga**

Twelve years before the start of the series, a powerful creature known as the Nine-tailed Demon Fox attacked the ninja village Konohagakure, decimating many people. In response, the leader of Konohagakure's ninja military – the Fourth Hokage – sacrificed his life to seal the demon inside his newly born child Naruto Uzumaki. Konohagakure, however, regarded Naruto as if he were the demon fox itself and mistreated him throughout most of his childhood.

The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, now a adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and dreams to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of all.

* * *

A.N.: Been trying to motivate myself for a long time.

Good luck to both of us.


	2. Chapter 2

**02/26/2013**

**a-d**

**For Having a Nail**

**Chapter 2**

* * *

"It's just a coincidence." Sasuke muttered to himself, but couldn't keep from glancing over at Naruto again where their taijutsu instructor was altering his stance. Incorrectly.

"So two of the teachers don't like him and are teaching him things that are wrong..." Okay, that _really_ bugged him for some reason...but hey, everyone had bad days and Naruto'd probably pranked them recently. He pranked everyone else after all. The other teachers would treat him like anyone else.

* * *

"Stupid overwhelming coincidences."

* * *

Hah! That's two updates! All I need is one more and I'll have officially far surpassed every other one of my attempts at story making!


	3. Chapter 3

02/27/2013

a-d

**For Having a Nail**

**Chapter 3**

* * *

Naruto dropped his gaze from the classroom ceiling and frowned a little. "What?"

"Why don't you use Henge when you're shopping?" Sasuke asked. "I know you know that jutsu. Only Sakura figured it out faster."

Naruto shrugged while turning back to the ceiling. "The teacher told me I wasn't supposed to use it except for ninja stuff." Glowering, Sasuke muttered, "Of course they did. Kami forbid you actually be able buy things for less than twice their asking price."

Naruto scowled at him and gestured dismissively. "Their price tags just don't include the tax that's added depending on how well you're doing. They send it to the Hokage who gives it to those who are having a hard time making ends meet."

Sasuke smirked. "I've seen where you live Naruto."

Blushing, Naruto replied, "I'm doing just fine bastard."

Smirk growing wider, Sasuke said, "I bet if you went in there Henge'd as someone else, talking it up about how well you're doing at work and how much they pay you, when you got to the counter they'd make you pay _less_ than regular price."

"Hah! Your on!" He shouted happily. "And when I win, you've got to stay away from Sakura-chan!"

Sasuke grimaced. "I always try my best."

* * *

Later, Naruto wasn't certain whether to be irritated that Sasuke'd been right, or happy about how much money was left. "They even gave me a candy bar for free." She muttered, brushing a blonde pigtail behind her again.

* * *

And that's three.

Huh. Surprise to me.


	4. Chapter 4

02/28/2013

a-d

**For Having a Nail**

**Chapter 4**

* * *

"Hnnn!" Sasuke growled in exasperation while drumming his fingers on his room's desk next to the night-light's screen. Rereading what he'd typed into what he guessed its creators used to write reports had been extremely slow and frustrating. How could they stand this search and peck method of writing when brushes and ink were so much more convenient? Then sighed, and checked to go over it yet again.

Nothing. Despite all the coincidences around Naruto there was nothing the...artwork? Story? Startwork?

He blanched at that. "I am not allowed to name things ever again."

In any case nothing the...it had shown so far was provable as anything more than coincidence. At least, not without either getting him executed, dragged into the torture and interrogation center, or at least take the night-light with them. As far as he knew no-one had ever made it past the password screen and they would be very interested in what might lay behind it.

He snorted, they would be even more interested in what _was_ behind it. Especially if even a little of it was true. But how find out?

Ask Iruka sensei about the secondary genin graduation test? Not really proof, and he could lie. Track down Kakashi san and see if the bell test was true? Better than the genin test, but not by much. And it might attract the jounin's attention. Checking the details it had given about Orochimaru might be doable, and if true would at least prove reliability. And trying to sneak a look at Anko Mitarashi's neck to see if there was a curse mark wasn't going to happen. He'd heard things about her. _Everybody_ had heard things about _her_.

"But..." he reconsidered, "Finding out if she was Orochimaru's apprentice shouldn't be too difficult." Then scowled. "The real problem," he muttered "is that all of this is just history. All of it could be true and it wouldn't really prove anything but that whoever made this did their homework. So short of walking up to and asking the Hokage himself about Naruto there's no way to tell if this isn't all just somebodies idea of a good story, and I'm not nearly that suicidal."

Exasperated he ran his hands through his hair and glared harder at the screen. If only... Then blinked, stared, and leaned back groaning. "I am such an idiot." Then got up to look for the scrolls for training in jutsu techniques.


	5. Chapter 5

03/05/2013

a-d

**For Having a Nail**

**Chapter 5**

* * *

Sasuke grumbled while walking along the dirt path of the public training ground where he'd agreed to meet Naruto. It had seemed simple yesterday. Show him the great fireball technique and if he had the immense chakra reserves the...story claimed, he'd be able to pull a bunch of them off without becoming too tired. Just knead the chakra and fire one off. But...

"Whatta mean knead?"

Hadn't the damned instructors taught him anything!?

So he'd had to spend most of the day explaining basic chakra manipulation and it was time to go home before getting anywhere.

Movement ahead caught his eyes and revealed a splash of orange moving rapidly closer.

"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, "Watch this!" and a fiery cone flew from his lips, larger than any Sasuke had ever produced.

Sasuke scowled, then grimaced in irritation, _What's the matter with me? This is what I wanted, right?_ "Good job." He said, forcing a smile. "How did you get it that big?"

Naruto grinned, "That's not big. Ashakura chan made me make 'em smaller. Said that size was best for someone new to the technique since it had the.." face screwing up in concentration, "optic-mal chakra use and area cov'rage for fighting one on one." and grinned. "She said she'd teach me when to use bigger versions of it later if I want!"

Sasuke blinked in surprise, then raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Ashakura chan?"

"She's a chunin who was passing by the academy last night." Replied Naruto.

"Why were you by the academy?"

"To ask the instructors for help on how to do the grand fireball."

Sasuke scowled again. "I'm guessing they refused." Which Naruto waved away. "Nah, it was late so they weren't there. But Ashakura chan saw me looking for them and when I told her why she offered to help me herself." He finished with a grin.

Astonished, Sasuke asked, "She actually offered to help?" and Naruto's grin faltered a little. "Weeell, I was in the henge form I've been using for shopping cause I wanted to see if it would work on the instructors as well so she didn't know it was me." Then he rushed on, "But she was really nice while helping me, and anyway I wasn't getting too far on my own."

Sasuke shrugged. "Maybe she'd be willing to keep helping you." Then remembered, "You said that wasn't the biggest flamethrower you've been able to make?" To which Naruto's grin came back in full force. "Nope."

"How big can you make them?"

Naruto's expression faded a little as he tilted his head to the side and considered. "I don't know." Then turned around and took a deep breath.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note:

You've probably already noticed I'm not the most reliable Author, and promising to improve is relatively pointless as even I'm not certain I'll be able to keep writing.

But I will try.

a-d

03/13/2013

**For Having a Nail**

**Chapter 6**

* * *

Sarutobi looked up from the report and eyed the two soot marked children wearing scorched and tattered clothes in front of his somewhat cluttered desk before dryly saying, "May I ask why you felt training field four deserved to die?"

With a manic grin the one who couldn't seem to keep still replied, "It looked like Itachi!"

Somewhat surprised by the usually more reserved Uchiha, he turned to the other boy who seemed to be alternating between shock, awe, and guilt. "Naruto?"

Turning a slightly glazed look on his Hokage, Naruto said, "Big! Whoosh! Fire everywhere!"

Sarutobi smirked a little. "Indeed." At which Naruto seemed to finally settle on Joy. "It was AWESOME!"

The Hokage nodded understandingly. "Were it not for being responsible for its repair or more accurately it's 'replacement,' I'd probably agree. As it is however, the two of you were the direct cause of over twenty acres being razed to the ground along with three firing ranges and a park bench that might eventually see the light of day again as an artist's representation of a puddle. I would, therefore, appreciate an explanation as to what led up this unfortunate event."

As the happiness receded a little Naruto glanced over at Sasuke, hoping he would have an idea on how to spin this so they wouldn't be doing most of the training grounds rebuilding, but he shouldn't have bothered. Sasuke was a little busy at the moment.

_Itachi's going to be charcoal._ He thought giddily. _Itachi's base is going to be charcoal. Hell, his entire country is going to be charcoal! His own personal village hidden in the soot, population: none. I'll be able to go out and make Itachi ash angels._

"Um, Sasuke?" Naruto said, giving him a nudge to which Sasuke muttered something about needing to buy marshmallows in bulk before Naruto gave up, turned back toward the Hokage, and began to explain. After which, he started asking questions, which led to answers...and more questions.

It wasn't long before Sarutobi could barely keep from groaning and idly wondered if it was possible to nominate an entire village for a "too stupid to live" award. _What idiots look at a sleeping dragon and say, "If that wakes up it might eat us...let's poke it with a stick."_ He glanced at Sasuke, noting that he seemed to finally be coming back to himself. _Good. A little verification of how Naruto's describing his time at school would be... _And took a second look at the Uchiha's hungry expression whenever his eyes turned toward the bright orange ninja in training. _Well now... _Hiding a grin he turned his attention back to Naruto as he finished telling about when his class was taught the Henge, and how afterward one of the teachers explained that the Henge he'd been shown was a kiddy version he was supposed to develop into the more durable version _real_ ninja used on his own if he wanted to graduate.

_More misinformation._ Sighed the elderly Hokage before saying, "Obviously there are a number of gaps in your education which need to be addressed." Turning to the Anbu who'd brought the two boys in he asked, "Rat, could you take Naruto to Dog for a quick rundown of the various methods of chakra manipulation?"

Bowing, the man wearing a mask with the face of a rat answered, "At once Hokage." and escorted the energetic boy from the room under a barrage of questions.

Sasuke watched as the two left and the door swung closed with a quiet click.

"No."

Blinking, the boy turned back toward the Hokage. "Huhn?" Who met his eyes with a grim expression. "You may not have him on your team."

Understanding dawned and Sasuke glared at him. "Why?"

Sarutobi narrowed his eyes, "You heard all that," he said gesturing towards the door, "And you have to ask?" When Sasuke didn't respond he continued. "We both know your plans for the future. The man you intend to hunt down. Do you really believe I would allow someone whose education in the very things which are necessary to keep them alive had been so thoroughly sabotaged to go on such a dangerous mission? If things continue as they are at present it might be impossible for him to even graduate the academy."

Sasuke clenched his fists and growled out, "Bull. You're the Hokage. You can-"

"Yes." Interrupted a glaring Sarutobi. "I'm the Hokage. And despite my best efforts he is still doing worse than simply failing his classes. Even a Kage has limits, and I've strained against them in this area for most of Naruto's life only to find failure staring back at me."

Their eyes remained locked for a few seconds before the elderly leader sat back with a sigh. "The civilians refuse to treat him fairly, teachers intentionally lie to him, and as for a private tutor..." his eyes temporarily went distant before refocusing, "The few attempts I've made in that direction were extremely successful in showing that having him in a public setting with many witnesses was a much safer alternative." He grimaced. "I can't even trust my damned jounin to treat him professionally." Looking back at the boy glowering before him he said, "And without that training, without being at _least_ skilled in the basics I would not allow him to be part of a team who intended to attempt a mission as dangerous as the one you're planning."

Sasuke stood, nearly trembling in frustration. _No! I am not losing the nine tails power because a village full of _fools! _There has to be around this. _Desperately, he went over what he could remember of his rights as the last member of the Uchiha clan in Konoha. _Damn it! Why didn't I pay more attention when the council explained them or looked in the Uchiha records myself? _He turned his thoughts towards the rights of civilians. _Oh kami I know about them than those for my clan. _School rules? _Yeah, right._

Despairingly, he tried to recall if the artwork story had mentioned any laws he could use and blinked as the first test of the chunin exam came to mind. Specifically, Naruto's response to proctor Ibiki's claim that anyone who attempted the tenth question and failed would never be allowed to take the chunin exam again. _"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME! I WILL NOT RUN!"_

Calming down a little he thought about the rest. _"I'LL TAKE IT! EVEN IF I'M A GENIN FOREVER...! I'LL WILL MYSELF TO BE HOKAGE ANYWAY, SO I DON'T CARE! I AM NOT AFRAID!"_

He felt better for a second...then snorted and the frustration came creeping back. That had sounded good when he read it but didn't change anything here. He couldn't just take Naruto with him or force the Hokage to change his mind. And if what he'd said was true, then none of the jounin were trustworthy enough for it to be safe for Naruto to have them hired as his teacher.

Re-clenching his fists he tried to think of even one person he was certain could be trusted...

He blinked. Then smirked and faced his Hokage. "The basic skills?" He asked confidently, "No problem." and sauntered out of the office.

Sarutobi watched, stone-faced as the Uchiha's silhouette disappeared down the stairs, then grinned.


End file.
